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New Delhi, June 30: The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

No Privatisation of Air India

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) strongly opposes the decision of the Modi government to privatise the national carrier, Air India. The Union Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the Niti Ayog and given an in-principle agreement for the disinvestment of Air India and its five subsidiaries.

This decision has been taken at a time when, after prolonged losses since 2008, the airline has started achieving operating profits of Rs. 105 crore for the year 2015-16 and an estimated operating profit of around Rs. 300 crore in 2016-17.

Air India was crippled and burdened with debt due to monumental miscalculation and certain wrong decisions taken by successive governments at the Centre. It is now being made the scapegoat and sought to be privatized.

The privatization of Air India is being made with a bonanza to the perspective private buyer – the write off of the Rs. 30,000 crore debt burden. The privatization of Air India is not for saving public money but for handing over national assets for a song and defrauding the exchequer for the benefit of private companies, both domestic and foreign.

The sale of Air India is part of the overall privatization drive of the Modi government which is against national interest. It must be stopped forthwith.

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New Delhi, June 30: The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

Resolve GST Problems

There are a number of problems arising from the Goods and Services Tax which is being hastily implemented from July 1, 2017.

There is an imminent threat of inflation and an all-round increase in the prices of consumer goods. This, despite the fact that for a number of commodities the GST rates now fixed are lower than the combined existing rate of Centre and state taxes. It is estimated that there will be a revenue loss of at least Rs. 1 lakh crore for the Centre and state governments. This will be a bonanza for the corporates, who are not willing to pass on the benefit of the reduced rates to the consumers.

The Central government is unwilling to effectively use the anti-profiteering clause in the GST law. This clause was meant to ensure that the reduction in the rate of tax arising due to introduction of GST shall be passed on to the consumers by the commensurate reduction in prices. The Central government has not yet framed the rules under the anti-profiteering clause.

Utilising the lack of clarity in the details of the tax structure, efforts will be made to increase prices.

The CPI(M) demands that the Central government publish a detailed list of commodity prices under the existing combined tax and under the GST and intervene to see that the MRP are reduced.

The GST tax rate is going to affect certain sectors and goods adversely. Small scale industry as a whole will be adversely affected because they will have to pay full tax for units above Rs. 75 lakh turnover. Earlier, they were exempted for all units below Rs. 1.5 crore.

There are various other anomalies which work in favour of the big industries and at the expense of small enterprises. The Central government and the GST Council must immediately relook these issues and remove the anomalies. In no way can ordinary people be made to pay for the bonanza to be reaped by the corporates.

The Modi government has put in place the GST in great haste and this is causing a number of problems for the small entrepreneurs, traders and shopkeepers. Enough time should be given for implementation of the new tax structure

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New Delhi, Jun 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi need not remind people of Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals but should ensure strict action against those attacking people on the pretext of protecting cows, Left parties today said.
On the prime minister’s statement that unleashing violence against others went against the ideals of Gandhi, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said: “We do not need him to remind us of this.” “We are aware of Gandhi’s principles … We want to know what the prime minister proposes to do to stop such mobocracy,” he said.
In an open letter, CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy welcomed Modi’s “another” warning to the “so-called” cow vigilantes.
“In spite of Modi’s severe warning to them”, anti-social elements are continuing with their activity. It is not clear to people what is encouraging them, it said.
Ministers in the BJP-ruled states are supporting cow vigilantes, directly or indirectly, through their statements.
No action has been taken against cow vigilantes or in cases of attacks on Dalits, he alleged.
“It is more like a warlord’s regime of Middle Ages then a democratic government of the 21st century in India, especially in BJP-ruled states … Real, serious steps should be taken to stop these killings at once,” he added. (Courtesy: Ganashakti)

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The Labour Ministry of the Central government has put in its website, the draft of the Third Labour Code, which is going to be introduced in the Parliament.

Though it is stated that this Labour Code is being introduced to improve social security, codify the existing labour etc. the intention is to liberalise the labour rules, meaning to reduce and take the existing rights with regard to EPF, ESI and other social security measures for the majority of the workers. This has been the demands of the employers and corporates for some time.

It is to be noted that this draft has been made ready. despite strong protest raised by all the Central Trade Unions. If this is implemented, a major portion of the workers will lose all social security measures and will be at the mercy of the employers.

Mighty protest should come from the working class and people’s representatives to ensure that the proposed anti-worker clauses of the draft Bill is dropped.

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The Central government is moving fast for strategic sale of Air India, the government owned Airlines, which has been functioning for the last more than seven decades as the Prime Airline in India on both International and domestic routes.

The policy decisions taken by the continuing central governments, like purchasing about 111 planes where there was requirement only for about 35 planes, merging Air India and Indian Airlines, handing over its routes to private companies etc. created such a situation that Air India started incurring losses. The non-payment of large amount of bills by the Central and State governments was another reason. It is understood that many such amount has been written off.

In short, the government itself is fully responsible for the present state of affairs of Air India. Even while it is in loss as per accounts due to the large loans, interest etc. Air India has been posting operational profit for the last few years. A good management with the support of the government would have restored Air India to its glorious past. But the government is intended on sale of the Air India as per its neo-liberal policy completely supporting the corporates to garner profit.

The latest information is that Indigo Airlines has informed its interest in taking over Air India, mainly its international flights. There will be other companies also including foreign airlines.

Will Air India become a nostalgic memory of the past? Whether struggles by the Air India Staff, central trade unions and progressive section of the people will save Air India from privatisation?

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All over India, CPI(M) is organising meetings, seminars, speeches etc. on the 150th year of the publication of “Das Capital”, the mighty weapon of the working class authored by Karl Marx and assisted by Frederic Engels.

In Kozhikode, a well attended seminar was conducted on 29th June 2017, which was inaugurated by the CPI(M) State Secretary Com. Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and addressed by Comrades K.N.Ravindranth, Dr.K.N.Ganesh, Dr. Anil, P. Mohanan, District Secretary CPI(M) and K.T.Kunhikannan and KKC Pillai, Director and Secretary of Keluettan Padna Gaveshana Kendram.

The seminars were well educative and well appreciated.

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Bollywood actors Shabana Azmi and Kalki Koechlin participating the silent protest “Not in My Name” against the incidents of targeted lynching, in Mumbai on Wednesday. Protest rallies were held in many cities.

Under Modi Government such lynching and killings are increasing. Strong protests should come from the people.

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It is reported that the employees in the more than 600 Branches of Kerala Gramin Bank will go on strike on 30th June protesting against the move for privatisation. Other demands are pension, revision of pension etc. The call is given by the All India Regional Bank Employees Association and supported by BEFI.

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Confederation of CG Employees has protested against the betrayal on allowances and called upon the workers to organise immediate protest demonstration in front of all offices. The circular is given below:

NATIONWIDE PROTEST DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST THE CABINET DECISION ON ALLOWANCES TO CG EMPLOYEES
CENTRAL GOVT EMPLOYEES AGAIN BETRAYED BY NDA GOVERNMENT.
DATE OF EFFECT FROM 01-01-2016 AND RESTORATION OF RATE OF HRA DENIED
HOLD NATIONWIDE PROTEST DEMONSTRATIONS IN FRONT OF ALL OFFICES
NDA Government has once again betrayed the entire Central Govt Employees. The demand of the employees to restore HRA to 30, 20 & 10% is denied. Date of effect for allowances is fixed as 01-07-2017 denying 18 months arrears.

The BJP lead NDA Government deliberately delayed the legitimate right of the employees. The assurance given by Cabinet Ministers regarding increase in Minimum Pay and Fitment Formula is also not honoured till date. NDA Government is the worst Government as far as employees and workers are concerned.

Confederation National Secretariat calls upon entire Central Govt Employees to hold demonstrations in front of all Central Govt Offices protesting against the anti-employees, anti-workers stand of the NDA Government.